Selective article director multiposition gate

ABSTRACT

An article directing gate selectively routes advancing articles such as photoprints into any of three offbear paths in accordance with simultaneous energization of different combinations of two of four electromagnet relays with the other two remaining deenergized. The relay armatures act on the pivoted gate through a walking beam and gate crank arm.

Unite States atent [1 1 [111 Erickson et a1. Dec. 4, 1973 [54] SELECTIVEARTICLE DIRECTOR 3,356,362 12/1967 Mestre 271/64 X MULTIPOSITION GATE3,556,518 1/1971 Brockmueller 3,352,554 11/1967 Menzi et a1 271/64 MAInventors: Arlen J. Erickson; Paul A. Carlstedt,

both of Seattle, Wash.

CX Processing Laboratories, llnc., Seattle, Wash.

Filed: Oct. 17, 1972 Appl. No.1 298,351

Assignee:

US. Cl. 271/64 Int. Cl B65h 29/58 Field of Search 271/64, 64 MA; 209/74References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1966 Schulze 209/74 R PrimaryExaminerA1len N. Knowles Att0rneyChristensen et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT An article directing gate selectively routes advancingarticles such as photoprints into any of three offbear paths inaccordance with simultaneous energization of different combinations oftwo of four electromagnet relays with the other two remainingdeenergized. The relay armatures act on the pivoted gate through awalking beam and gate crank arm.

5 (Ilaims, 5 Drawing Figures SELECTIVE ARTICLE DIRECTOR MULTIPOSITIONGATE BACKGROUND This invention relates to a new and improved gatingmechanism for the selective routing of conveyed articles, such asphotoprints or negatives in an automatic packaging or processingmachine, such as wherein the prints are to be directed to any one ofthree points of disposal. In the case of a commercial photoprintpackaging machine, for example, the prints are individually premarkedaccording to whether they are to be accepted, remade or rejected and areto be directed accordingly by sensing the markings and directing theirroute of conveyance to any of three appropriate receiving points. Theinvention is herein illustratively described by reference to thepreferred embodiment thereof; however it will be recognized that certainmodifications thereof with respect to details may be made withoutdeparting from its essential features.

A broad object of this invention is to provide a positive andquick-acting director gate mechanism having at least three settings ofthe gate. A related object is to devise such a gate mechanism of lowcost which can be manufactured using readily available electromagnetrelay actuators.

A further object hereof is to devise a selective director gate mechanismthe actuators of which are energized electrically and thereby easilycontrolled by electrical signals so as to facilitate automated orsemiautomated control of the gate.

A specific object is to provide an improved director gate for use in aphotoprint sorting and packaging machine or the like. In general termsthe invention provides a high-speed multiposition sorting gate by whichphotoprints or similar articles moving rapidly in succession along aconveyor path may be directed individually into any one of three offbearpaths without interruption or slowing of the movement. In this regard itwill be appreciated that in such machines and similar applications theprints or other articles are moving so fast that selective operation ofthe gate constitutes essentially a flicking motion, so rapidly must itchange positions at times between articles in order to intercept anddeflect the path of each. Yet operation of the gate must be positive andconsistently reliable in order to perform its sorting functionadequately.

Accordingly the invention features a plate-like gate member pivotedintermediate its ends on a transverse shaft by which it is tiltedvariably into any of three positions by a crank arm operated throughcontrolled shifting of a walking beam. For such purpose, that is inorder to achieve three-way positioning of the gate, the ends of thewalking beam are independently movable to either of two oppositepositions, this being carried out by means of electromagnet relays whichare energized in selected combinations.

These and other features, objects and advantages of the invention willbecome more fully evident from the following description by reference tothe accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are side views of the gate mechanism andassociated conveyor parts in each of the gates three respectiveoperating positions.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional end view taken on line 4-4 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a schematic circuit diagram showing a means to control relayenergization.

In application Ser. No. 133,885 filed Apr. 14, l97l by Leonard I-I.Tall, Paul A. Carlstedt and Arlen J. Erickson there is disclosed aphotoprint packing machine having a director gate toward improvement ofwhich the present invention is directed. The disclosure of that caseillustrates a primary application for the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, articles A, such as photo prints, are infedon supporting belt conveyor 108 and at a point therealong by thecooperating conveyor 1 12. Thereupon the moving articles encounter thearticle directing gate which is in the form of a wedgeshaped platemember having a leading edge 120a. The plate-like member tapers to itsleading edge 120a and is pivotally mounted on shaft 120b transverselyoriented to the direction of movement of articles A. The axis of pivotis in the plane of the plate-like member and is situated generallyintermediate its leading and lagging edges. A notch 120g formed in andalong the upper lagging end of the plate-like member 120 allowsclearance for driven conveyor roller 114 with the gate in its remake(i.e. most counterclockwise rotated) position shown in FIG. 2. Thisrepresents its position wherein the photoprints or other conveyedarticles are directed by the gate into the nip between conveyor belt 112and roller 114. In this setting of the gates, its leading edge isdepressed interceptingly beneath the line of infeed of the movingarticles A emerging from conveyor 108 so as to deflect the articlesupwardly and over the surface of the platelike member.

In its other two positions shifted clockwise by different amounts fromthe position shown in FIG. 2 the leading edge of the gate is elevatedinterceptingly above the line of infeed of the moving articles A so asto deflect the articles downwardly and along the bottom surface of theplate-like member. Thus in FIG. 1, representing the accept position ofthe gate, the moving articles are deflected by a small angle downwardlyand into the nip of offbear belt conveyors 116 and 1 18. A largerdownward (i.e. clockwise) deflection angle is assumed by the gate forits reject position shown in FIG. 3 wherein the articles are diverteddownwardly beneath conveyors 116 and 118 by impingement of the articleson the underside of the sloping deflector plate 110.

In each instance selective interceptive deflection and direction of theadvancing articles by the leading edge of platelike member 120 dependsupon the mechanisms capability of elevating and depressing the membersleading edge to respective positions above and below the article path inconjunction with appropriate angular positioning of the member so thatits guiding top or bottom surface directs the article thereafter intothe correct new direction. The gate guides the article for a sufficientdistance of travel to assure positive guidance and/or conveyancethereafter by other means such as the offbear conveyors 116, 118 or 112,114. Flexibility of the articles (such as photoprints) and their lengthsufficient for them to reach and be engaged by the offbear conveyors114, 112 or 116, 118 before leaving the grip and feeding effect ofconveyors 108, 112. assures positive transfer of the articles to andbeyond the intervening space occupied by the nonfeeding gate 120. If arelatively longer gate is used it may in certain instances beappropriate for the gate to incorporate its own article engaging andfeeding means that exert an advancing force on the articles assuringtheir traverse of the gate.

Pivot shaft 120b, non-rotationally fixed to the platelike gate member120, passes rotatably through journal apertures in frame plate 162 ateach end of the gate. At one end, that is adjacent one of the sideplates 162, shaft 120b rigidly mounts a crank arm 1200 projectinggenerally upward from shaft 12027. A transversely projecting actuatorshaft 120d on the outer end of crank arm 1200 projects therefromparallel to journal shaft 120b. Actuator shaft 120d is rotativelysocketed in a walking beam 12C at a location intermediate the ends ofthe latter. The upper and lower ends of the walking beam are carried byupper and lower shuttles 121 and 123. To this end the shuttles comprisecylindrical sockets 121a and 123a in which the ball-shaped upper andlower ends of the walking beam are slidably and pivotally received.Shuttle 121 interjoins the aligned and opposed armatures 125a and 127aof electromagnet relays 125 and 127. Similarly shuttle 123 interjoinsthe aligned and opposed armatures 129a and 131a of relays 129 and 131extending parallel to relays 127 and 125; also generally parallel to theinfeed direction of articles A. Thus energization of the coil of relay125 with relay 127 deenergized draws the shuttle 121 toward relay 125,and with it in the upper end of walking beam 120a. Converselyenergization of relay 127 with relay 125 deenergized draws the shuttleoppositely. Relays 129 and 131 work similarly on the shuttle 123 andthereby the lower end of the walking beam.

Now it may be seen that simultaneous energization of relays 125 and 131with their counterparts 127 and 129 deenergized shifts both ends of thewalking beam in the same direction as in FIG. 2 and thereby rocks thegate 120 into its counterclockwisemost or remake position. Likewise, andconversely, simultaneous energization of relays 127 and 129 with theircounterparts 125 and 131 deenergized as in FIG. 3 shifts both ends ofthe walking beam in the same direction and thereby positions the gate120 in its opposite extreme or reject position. The intermediate oraccept setting of the gate is accomplished by energization of relays 125and 129 with relays 127 and 131 deenergized. This latter setting couldbe achieved also by the alternative of energizing relays 127 and 131with relays 125 and 129 deenergized.

In any event a reliable and positive, quick-acting three-position gateoperator is provided economically with readily available commercialrelays andsimple mechanical connector elements. There is no need to relyupon return springs, drive motors nor other complex and expensivemechanism. Furthermore the system of controls for the relays beingessentially a simple selective electrical switching circuit which isshown symbolically in FIG. 5 requires only four switches. These may beelectro-mechanical switches, solid-state switching devices or otherelectronic current gating means, so may easily be programmed orcontrolled by electrical sensing or selector devices of any suitabletype, as in the aforementioned copending application disclosure of ameans for controlling the acceptance, rejection or remake selection ofphotoprints or negatives to be packaged for making up a customerdelivery order.

These and other aspects of the invention will be appreciated asancillary to its central concept and not limiting thereon.

What is claimed is:

1. A gate mechanism for directing articles advancing to and beyond saidmechanism comprising a gate member, means movably supporting said memberto permit the same to be shifted into any of three different articledirecting positions, means to actuate said member be tween suchpositions comprising a walking beam having electromagnet relaysoperatively connected to the respective ends of the walking beam,connector means operatively connecting the walking beam intermediate itsends to the gate, and means for selectively energizing the relays.

2. The gate mechanism defined in claim 1, wherein the relays comprisetwo pairs of relays, the members of each of said pairs being positionedin mutual alignment and having oppositely acting armatures, thearmatures of one of said relay pairs being commonly connected to one endof the walking beam and the armatures of the other of said relay pairsbeing commonly connected to the opposite end of said walking beam.

3. The gate mechanism defined in claim 2, wherein the connector meanscomprises a crank arm connected to the gate member for tilting the sameand connected to the walking beam for rocking the crank arm by shiftingof the walking beam in accordance with selective energization of therelays.

4. In a photoprint and similar article conveyor system comprising infeedconveyor means for the articles, three offbear receiving means for thearticles generally aligned with said infeed conveyor means and branchingin relatively different directions therefrom, and article directing gatemeans including a member pivotally mounted in general alignment withsaid infeed conveyor means ahead of said offbear receiving means andmovable angularly into any of three positions to direct the articlesselectively to any of said offbear receiving means, said gate meansincluding a plurality of electromagnet relays operatively connected tothe gate member and arranged by selective energization of selectedcombinations of said relays to move the gate member selectively from anyof such three positions to either of the other positions.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein there are four such relaysarranged in mutually aligned pairs spaced apart in parallel relationshipand with the members of one pair having armatures interconnected by awalking beam with the armatures of the members of the other pair, saidwalking beam being operatively connected intermediate its ends to thegate member for actuating the same between positions.

1. A gate mechanism for directing articles advancing to and beyond saidmechanism comprising a gate member, means movably supporting said memberto permit the same to be shifted into any of three different articledirecting positions, means to actuate said member between such positionscomprising a walking beam having electromagnet relays operativelyconnected to the respective ends of the walking beam, connector meansoperatively connecting the walking beam intermediate its ends to thegate, and means for selectively energizing the relays.
 2. The gatemechanism defined in claim 1, wherein the relays comprise two pairs ofrelays, the members of each of said pairs being positioned in mutuaLalignment and having oppositely acting armatures, the armatures of oneof said relay pairs being commonly connected to one end of the walkingbeam and the armatures of the other of said relay pairs being commonlyconnected to the opposite end of said walking beam.
 3. The gatemechanism defined in claim 2, wherein the connector means comprises acrank arm connected to the gate member for tilting the same andconnected to the walking beam for rocking the crank arm by shifting ofthe walking beam in accordance with selective energization of therelays.
 4. In a photoprint and similar article conveyor systemcomprising infeed conveyor means for the articles, three offbearreceiving means for the articles generally aligned with said infeedconveyor means and branching in relatively different directionstherefrom, and article directing gate means including a member pivotallymounted in general alignment with said infeed conveyor means ahead ofsaid offbear receiving means and movable angularly into any of threepositions to direct the articles selectively to any of said offbearreceiving means, said gate means including a plurality of electromagnetrelays operatively connected to the gate member and arranged byselective energization of selected combinations of said relays to movethe gate member selectively from any of such three positions to eitherof the other positions.
 5. The apparatus defined in claim 4 whereinthere are four such relays arranged in mutually aligned pairs spacedapart in parallel relationship and with the members of one pair havingarmatures interconnected by a walking beam with the armatures of themembers of the other pair, said walking beam being operatively connectedintermediate its ends to the gate member for actuating the same betweenpositions.